(BRONX, NY)  There were a few tense moments in the press box before Tuesday’s World Series opener, as the rain seemed to intensify the closer it got to game-time.  As if on cue, at about 4:00 PM, the precipitation slowed, then stopped.  A few moments later, the sun shone on Yankee Stadium.  It continued to shine long after Apollo’s chariot had completed its journey – on the Phillies.

There were some that questioned whether the new Olympus would be as intimidating to opponents as the palace it replaced.  At least for one night, the Phillies proved them right, as Chase Utley provided the thunder of Hephaestus, and Cliff Lee delivered the lightning of Zeus in a 6-1 win over the AL champs.

Twice, Yankees’ ace CC Sabathia grooved a fastball over the heart of the plate to Utley, and twice, the Phillies’ All-Star second baseman made him pay.  It was all the offense the Phillies would need, and gave the team a critical 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic.

The last six teams to win Game 1 – and 10 of the last 11 – have all gone on to win the World Series.

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Hard to believe the Phillies waited until Utley was 26 to give him a full-time job.

Utley shared second base with Placido Polanco for the first two seasons of his career.  But in 2005, a new manager named Charley Manuel, awarded him the starting second base job after a solid spring training.

He finished his first season as a full-time player with a .291 average, 39 doubles, 28 homers and 105 RBIs.  He’s put up the best numbers of any second baseman in baseball over the last five seasons, and is a player, said Fox broadcaster Tim McCarver, who is a “gamer”, which he considers a compliment of the highest order.  From a guy that played with Joe Morgan and Pete Rose, that’s quite a call-out.

“He had a good night tonight,” said a deadpan Charlie Manuel.  “He’s got real quick hands … he’s got a good cut, and very good to coach.”

Utley went just 4-for-19 in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  But he took advantage of some early command issues by Sabathia, who was otherwise solid for seven innings.

Lee, on the other hand, was brilliant, striking out 10 and allowing just one unearned run in a complete game win.  He was sharp from the first pitch, continuing what has been an incredible run in a Phillies’ uniform.

When Ruben Amaro Jr. finally told then-Toronto GM J.P. Riccardi that his asking price for Roy Halladay was too high, he set his sights upon another Cy Young Award winner.  When he did finally acquired Lee from the Indians, he did so without relinquishing either his top prospect (Kyle Drabek) or his impressive left-handed rookie pitcher (J.A. Happ).

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Pedro Martinez will start Game 2 for the Phillies on Thursday, coming off a stellar performance in the NLCS against the Dodgers, throwing seven scores innings in an eventual  defeat to the Dodgers, 2-1.

The veteran right-hander provided the Phillies with some solid pitching down the stretch, going 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts.   In 12 career postseason starts, Martinez is 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA.  However, at old Yankee Stadium, he went 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in three postseason games, two of which were starts.

“They are professionals, and as I said, they are baseball players,” Gardenhire said after the Yankees swept his twins out of the playoffs. “I know a lot of things get said about their payroll and all that stuff, but the bottom line is, they are just great baseball players. And aside from all the other stuff, they are very, very talented, that’s why they make a lot of money, because they deserve it because they have played the game for a long time and they get it done, and they know how to get it done, and they play with class.

“So, like I said, I tip my hat to them. We had our chances. We played on the same field with those guys and had our chances a lot this year, and they got us every time, and it’s just because they got a few more at-bats than we do in big situations, and they know how to finish people off just a little bit better than we did this year.”

And now for the first time on five years the Yankees are beyond the first round of the playoffs and in the ALCS after their 4-1 win in Minneapolis. Bombers did it in style, with comeback homers from Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada and a little bit of luck after Nick Punto was thrown out by Derek Jeter after over-running third base in the eighth inning.

“You know, you talk about — when you put a team together, pitching, defense, hitting, and we got all that,” said Yankee manager Joe Girardi. “Our defense was excellent in this series. And we are going to need that moving forward. You have to play great defense, and I think our defense has improved since last year.”

Actually the team has improved over the last few years. This is not the same Yankee team from the latter half of the decade. This is a looser club, that seems to like each other. Not only do they have all facets of their game going, they seem to be enjoying their time together.

And most of all the are relaxed, especially A-Rod, who is trying to shed his post season choker reputation.

“Well, I think going back to spring training, I knew I couldn’t change all the 0 for 4’s and 0 for 5’s, and all the guys I left on base, I knew I couldn’t change that, so, you know, I am content right now, both on and off the field,” A-Rod said. “And I also knew that I was 34, not 44, and I have an opportunity to do things right both on and off the field.”

Now the Yankees face their nemesis, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and possibly avenge two of their early ousters this decade. The Halos knocked out the Sox in dramatic fashion yesterday after getting to closer Jonathan Papelbon.

“Two very good teams, close game today,” Girardi said. “The Angels got it done late in the game being down 5 to 1, yeah, we watched it, we are baseball fans, and the Angels played extremely well, and see what happens.”

One thing’s for certain though, the Angels need to play mistake free ball to beat this Yankee team.

But there they were in Queens – the best team in baseball – crushing the Mets on Tuesday, and then walking on Oliver Perez’s wild side last night.

The Mets 5-4 win notwithstanding, it’s clear that the Dodgers are a superior team and many of the Mets problems turned into LA fortune.  A few passes by Omar Minaya made the Dodgers into the team they are today.

And you can start with Perez. Although he won the game with two runs over five innings, the enigmatic starter walked seven Dodgers and was in trouble all night. And this was his first start since May 2nd, because Perez couldn’t find the strike zone back in April either. His 2-2 record comes with an 8.78 ERA, something hard to get excited about.

Instead of Perez, the Mets could have had Randy Wolf – tonight’s starter for the Dodgers. Although he not an ace, wouldn’t you rather have his 3-3 record with 3.59 ERA? And he has started a league high 18 games so far, which would have solidified a very shaky Mets staff killed by injury.

Besides Wolf would have come with a much lower price tag and the Mets would have been able to invest the difference – about $7 million – on say a left fielder.

But they could have had a great leftfielder if Minaya shipped Luis Castillo to LA for Juan Pierre and then signed Orlando Hudson. Sure Castillo is having a decent year, but Pierre would have been the Mets everyday left fielder – and then moved to center when Carlos Beltran went on the DL – while Hudson would have provided the Mets with an upgrade at second.

Just look at the numbers. Pierre is hitting .328, while Hudson has a .285 average with 5 homers and 43 RBI. Don’t you think the Mets could have used that?

And they could have used the Dodger manager as well. If the Wilpons had some forward thinking after the collapse of 2007, they would have fired Willie Randolph and hired Joe Torre, who would have provided the team with a very credible field boss. Not only would the Mets have a winner, they would have stolen back some thunder from the Yankees as well.

Remember Randolph oversaw the greatest collapse in history. So if he lost his job no one would have said boo.

Plus you would think the team wouldn’t have tanked a month of the season in 2008 trying to get Randolph fired, which would have probably meant the Mets in the playoffs last year – and maybe no Phillies World Championship. Sure the Mets would not have Gary Sheffield right now, but does that really matter?

Yet, the Mets are stuck with bad decisions and that means an under .500 record, while the Dodgers are the best team in baseball, even without Manny Ramirez for 50 games. Torre seems very content on the West Coast, while Hudson and Wolf probably aren’t having any second thoughts signing in LA.

But, hey, the Mets do have Ebbets Field, and that has to count for something.

The fact of the matter is this new Yankee Stadium is a joke – a mockery to the game that needs to be fixed next year and fast.

Balls have been flying out of this new edifice at a record pace. Right now 113 and counting, which is putting it on a pre-humidor Coors Field record for homers (1999 with 303) , something no one anticipated when the Yankees built the stadium. After all, the dimensions seem to be the same as the old park and the stadium has somewhat the same alignment.

So, then, what’s the problem? How can you put essentially the same field a few hundred feet away from the old one and have it play so differently?

Well the answer is very simple: It’s not the same field.

No matter how much the Yankees jump up and down and say it’s the same field, it’s not. Sure the markings down the lines, too the alleys and in center are the same, but how the fence gets there is very different.

According to AccuWeather.com, the new outfield wall in right is straighter than its old counterpart, because of the auxiliary scoreboard. That means there are placed in right to right center where the fence is five to 10 feet closer than in the old ballpark.

Also it’s shorter as the old stadium had a 10 feet wall, whereas this one is eight feet.

Even with smaller dimensions, there’s always the wind current. Even though AccuWesther.com disputes it, just stand out in right (I did on Friday) and you can feel the wind at your face. The Yankees say it’s the open concourses, which could be the case, but many stadiums have that feature and they don’t have a problem. I have another theory.

The archways in the Great Hall are open, which may bring wind in from the outside. If they Yankees enclosed those archways with windows – heck, make them stained glass; it is a cathedral – maybe it would stop the breeze from blowing. Now I am no expert, but less open passageways may mean less wind coming in.

The only other solution – with the exception of enclosing the concourses – is to make the field bigger. Unlike Citi Field, which has simple solutions to make it more homer friendly (i.e. move the plate forward or just lower the home run line in left), Yankee Stadium’s problem are more complex. With a backstop of only 54 feet, 4 inches, the team is already pushing the limits of MLB requirements. To move the plate back, say five feet, needs to get MLB’s approval.

Rather, the better solution is to take out the first two rows of seats in the outfield and raise the fences. Yeah, it loses money, but wouldn’t it be better to lose some revenue, then possibly alienate potential free agent pitchers, who you would now have to overpay to play in The Bronx? I don’t know if the Yankees have that type of foresight, but they will probably come to their senses when the top flight hurlers spurn their money to go and play at say Citi Field.

No matter you get my point, something has to be done. If the Yankees do nothing, it’s going to be very difficult for them to win get to – or especially win – in October. Both the Rockies and Phillies had to change their ballparks before they went to the World Series and now the Yankees face the same dilemma.

The only question is if they are too arrogant to realize it.

Despite coming off his best two offensive seasons, Ray Navarrete was asked to learn a new position before spring training. In his 10th professional season, the former infielder and corner outfielder is the Ducks new everyday third baseman. The move reached into the past, since Navarrete last manned the hot corner on a consistent basis as a 22-year-old rookie in his first year in the Pirates system in 2000.

“It’s taken me a little while to get used to it. There are some balls hit right at me and I can’t believe how fast they’re coming,” Navarrete said. “I don’t have time to dance around like I did at second base.”

Over the past two seasons, Navarrete drilled 45 homers and racked up 170 RBIs while displaying defensive versatility in switching from the corner outfield spots to the middle infield. The Ducks have been the beneficiary of that production, as Navarrete batted .308 in 2007 and finished last season at .307.

Utility players are usually viewed as valuable contributors off the bench who provide occasional offense but serve as reserves. Yet Navarrete’s numbers made the utility tag seem out of place. Not many backups have three-homer games or earn All-Star selections; two items Navarrete crossed of his checklist in 2008.

While starting primarily at second, Navarrete saw time all over the diamond. That movement helped the Ducks plug in holes on the roster but possibly could have hindered major league teams from extending an offer. Now, a permanent position could be mutually beneficial for the individual and the club.

“This organization has been extremely supportive of my career so far and I think they are getting creative in thinking of ways of what can help me get noticed,” Navarrete said. “If this is an opportunity for me to help these guys win a championship and maybe get noticed for me to get picked up for a major league team, then I’m all for it.”

Making the transition easier is the fact an experienced infielder is the team’s co-owner and coach. Buddy Harrelson and coach Kevin Baez continue to tutor Navarrete, hitting him ground balls to hone his skills. New manager Gary Carter is a Hall of Fame catcher and said he also supports the decision and said the move could make his player more marketable.

“Everybody knows he can play the other positions,” said Carter, who also has Navarrete batting in the leadoff spot. “If he continues to excel and swing the bat, he will get noticed more playing at third base.”

Current pitching coach Dave LaPoint was manager the past two seasons and was able to provide Carter first-hand accounts about Navarrete’s productivity. Before spring training, Carter called Navarrete and broached the idea about moving to third.

So far, the move is paying off. Navarrete entered Monday with two errors, though he has two of the Ducks four home runs and is batting .267 while slugging .467.

“You try to set your team up which is best conducive to winning,” Carter said. “Ray Navarrete is best for us at third base right now.”

Navarrete last played in the affiliated minor leagues in 2006, when he split time between the Mets Double and Triple-A levels. Yet after setting career-highs in nearly every major statistical category last season, the offers failed to come.

“It was a bad year for free agents in minor league baseball,” Navarrete said. “Whether it had something to do with the economy or they didn’t want to sign free agents…I got a few phone calls. At the end of the day, I didn’t get an invite to spring training.

“There are a lot of guys in this clubhouse in this league and who are very deserving of being in Triple-A or even in the big leagues right now.”

With his 31st birthday coming at the end of the month, Navarrete is young enough to scoff at the elder statesman tag. But Navarrete can serve as an example for teammates new to Long Island. In the Atlantic League, a one-year stint is common for most players while two-year tenure is a benchmark for consistency.

While his record isn’t on par with Brooks Robison’s 23-year run with Baltimore, Navarrete in his fourth season wearing the Ducks orange-and-green colors, making him the organization’s longest-serving player.

“I think so now for the first time,” Navarrete said. “Not that I didn’t view myself as a leader in the past, but we had some pretty big-name guys in here who have had a lot of success at the major league level and I was one of the guys soaking it all in.

“Now, I’m one of the few guys to have comeback and proven that I’m a decent player. I’m trying to help some guys here learn the ropes. There is a certain way to play for the Long Island Ducks. I know the coaches are looking at me as a leader.”

In 2007, Navarrete batted .300 for the first time since his first year in professional baseball in 2000 when he was on Pittsburgh’s Single-A club. An encore performance in 2008 featured a career-high in home runs (27), RBIs (103), slugging (.546) and on-base-plus slugging percentage (.937).

The Colts Neck, N.J. native posted identical .391 on-base percentages the last two seasons. Those numbers could even improve now that a mental burden has been lifted. He has already reached base safely in eight of the first nine games.

“It’s good to know for the first time in a long time I have a position to call home,” he said. “I’m usually running   around the field like a chicken without a head. It’s nice to know I’m going to be in one spot.

“Hopefully I can turn into one of the better third basemen in the league.”

“This is a problem,” said Yankee COO Lonn Trost. “If they don’t leave, the city can’t tear down the old park, which is scheduled for deconstruction next month. And if we don’t have them with us, it may torpedo our season.”

The spirits of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Roger Maris are supposedly holding out for better deal with Ruth wanting cheaper concessions, DiMaggio higher appearance fees and Gehrig and Maris wanting their records reinstated.

Although the ghosts were unavailable for comment, the various spokespeople for each of the spirits released statements.

“The Babe never liked all this gaudy stuff that’s happening at New Yankee Stadium,” said a member of the Ruth family. “He just wants to hang out and have his hot dogs. But at these prices, he can’t afford them.”

“Lou and Roger feel their records were unfairly broken,” spokesman Justin Kidimer said. “[MLB] canceled the season in 1994, which gave Cal Ripken an unfair advantage, while Roger feels all the steroids allegations on Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds should make his 61 homers stand.”

The Yankees acknowledge these concerns, but are disturbed by DiMaggio’s stance. According to longtime spokesman and lawyer Morris Engelberg, the Hall of Fame centerfield wants $100,000 in cash for each Yankee win he influences, with the price going up to $500,000 for World Series victories.

“Joe has done this for free over the years, but now wants to get paid for his efforts,” Engelberg said in a statement.  ”They spent $1.6 billion on that place and now Joe wants what he feels are his.”

To avoid this embarrassing situation, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner has gotten involved petitioning the commissioner’s office on the records and cutting a deal with Nathan’s for cheap hot dogs. But he is standing strong on DiMaggio’s demands.

“I had to put up with this guy when he was alive,” Steinbrenner said in a statement. “But I refuse to pay him now that he’s dead. If he doesn’t want to be a Yankee, he should go haunt the Mets.”

Happy April Fools Day from the staff at NYSD.

Valentin is coming back from injury which pretty much kept him out all of last season, with a pinched nerve in his neck suffered during Spring Training.

But back in 2006, the 39 year-old had a banner year, hitting .271 with 18 homers are the Mets’ No. 1 second baseman. Yet, he broke his tibia the following season, which prompted general manager Omar Minaya to trade for Luis Castillo.

The Mets will need some bodies in Spring Training, especially on the infield with Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and David Wright going to the World Baseball Classic. Because of that, Valentin will get a long look and could possibly make the team as a righthander off the bench, since the Mets are looking for someone to fill that role.